Someday!

[selinasian]

Can anyone throw some light on the backing vocalists on 'Someday we'll be together? For many a moon we've been led to believe that it was Maxine and Julia Waters but according to liner notes on the Patrice Hollway set Merry Clayton claims it was her, Patrice, Venetta Field and Clydie King. I must admit, I always thought it sounded as though there were more than two backers.

[RossHolloway]

Where was the track and background vocals recorded? In Detroit or LA?

[Kraig Diesel]

Hitsville U.S.A. [[Studio A); June 13, 1969 + additional dates

[selinasian]

Hitsville U.S.A. [[Studio A); June 13, 1969 + additional dates
Well, the Blackberries were around Motown then so Clydie and Venetta would fit, but I wonder why Sherlie Matthews wasn't on the track.

[uptight]

Blackberries may have had different members in the group; I'm not sure they were a real group with consistent members [[outside of a 45 rpm record or two). I wouldn't doubt there was Maxine & Julia with members of The Blackberries. It does sound like more than two ladies.

[Jimi LaLumia]

it always sounded like a gospel choir to me,as the radio DJs would announce "The Supremes", we'd be like, "Yeah, right!"

[motony]

always heard it was the Andantes...which consisted of many others who were hangin around besides the 3 core members.But I tell ya, Mary & Cindy sounded DAMN GOOD singin it LIVE.

[marv2]

Can anyone throw some light on the backing vocalists on 'Someday we'll be together? For many a moon we've been led to believe that it was Maxine and Julia Waters but according to liner notes on the Patrice Hollway set Merry Clayton claims it was her, Patrice, Venetta Field and Clydie King. I must admit, I always thought it sounded as though there were more than two backers.

I remember reading way back in the early 70's that Merry Clayton was one of the backing vocalists on "Someday We'll Be Together". The backing vocals were recorded in a studio in L.A. and Maxine and Julia Waters were singing background. According to Johnny Bristol [[the Producer & Writer) and Cindy Birdsong of the Supremes that the only reason Cindy and Mary are not on that record is because they were headed out of town for a show the day the backing vocals were scheduled to be recorded.

[marv2]

always heard it was the Andantes...which consisted of many others who were hangin around besides the 3 core members.But I tell ya, Mary & Cindy sounded DAMN GOOD singin it LIVE.



I agree. Mary and Cindy sounded superb singing it live. I like how Mary still sings it today.

[marv2]

it always sounded like a gospel choir to me,as the radio DJs would announce "The Supremes", we'd be like, "Yeah, right!"

That's interesting because I never knew the difference or even gave it a thought until 1986 when I read Mary's book.

[Jimi LaLumia]

I mean, when did a Supremes back up ever sound like that...it was too laid back, too studio smooth,and Miss Ross sounded like she was in another town in comparison to the back up vocals

[marv2]

I mean, when did a Supremes back up ever sound like that...it was too laid back, too studio smooth,and Miss Ross sounded like she was in another town in comparison to the back up vocals

I was like a kid in 4th Grade during that time. I just didn't get into it that deep. I understand better what you are saying now. I always liked the backing vocals on that record and Johnny Bristol's parts.

[Jimi LaLumia]

I was 17 in 1969,and had a subscription to Billboard Magazine with lawn mowing money,I was getting Billboard when Ross was still in the group..can we say FAN-atic?[[addict?)

[marv2]

I was 17 in 1969,and had a subscription to Billboard Magazine with lawn mowing money,I was getting Billboard when Ross was still in the group..can we say FAN-atic?[[addict?)

So what? I bet I had a better baseball card collection and comic book collection than you did in 1969! Nah!

[reese]

I've read that the recording [[backing vocals and all) was originally done for Jr. Walker, who Johnny Bristol was working with. Jr. didn't want to do it. When Johnny played the track for Berry, he suggested it be done on Diana. After they completed it, Berry thought it would be a good solo release for her, but Shelly Berger convinced him to release it on the Supremes instead.

[TMSG]

Junior Walker did eventually release a version. I have it on a UK released Essential Collection and it is superb. I don't think it appeared on any of his studio albums and may not have been released in the US.

[dvdmike]

From what I understand, "Someday We'll Be Together" was going to be Diana's first solo single and "Reach Out And Touch [[Somebody's Hand") was supposed to be the final Diana Ross & The Supremes single.

[dvdmike]

Can anyone throw some light on the backing vocalists on 'Someday we'll be together? For many a moon we've been led to believe that it was Maxine and Julia Waters but according to liner notes on the Patrice Hollway set Merry Clayton claims it was her, Patrice, Venetta Field and Clydie King. I must admit, I always thought it sounded as though there were more than two backers.

The background vocals must have been done in L.A. as the Waters and the other singers you mentioned were all based there.

[marv2]

From what I understand, "Someday We'll Be Together" was going to be Diana's first solo single and "Reach Out And Touch [[Somebody's Hand") was supposed to be the final Diana Ross & The Supremes single.

That's interesting because I've always said that it sounds like Mary Wilson on backing vocals to "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand".

[jeff9nyc]

From what I understand, "Someday We'll Be Together" was going to be Diana's first solo single and "Reach Out And Touch [[Somebody's Hand") was supposed to be the final Diana Ross & The Supremes single.

Who makes up this stuff?!?

[stopinthenameoflove]

Junior Walker did eventually release a version. I have it on a UK released Essential Collection and it is superb. I don't think it appeared on any of his studio albums and may not have been released in the US.

was that not These Things Will Keep Me Loving You?

[reese]

From what I understand, "Someday We'll Be Together" was going to be Diana's first solo single and "Reach Out And Touch [[Somebody's Hand") was supposed to be the final Diana Ross & The Supremes single.

It's been written in quite a few books that SOMEDAY was going to be Diana's first solo single, until Shelly Berger convinced Berry otherwise.

J.Randy wrote that REACH OUT was going to be the final Diana Ross & the Supremes single in one of his books. But I don't believe that was a real plan. I think he was just trying to illustrate how Berry wanted Diana to leave the group with a hit single. And if SOMEDAY flopped, REACH OUT would have been the next Supremes release.

However, REACH OUT was cut on January 20/21, 1970, a week after Diana's last show with the girls. So it couldn't have been the final release

[captainjames]

I never heard that "Reach Out" was suppose to be a Supreme single but, I do believe that " SOMEDAY" was suppose to be a Ross single.

[jeff9nyc]

It's been written in quite a few books that SOMEDAY was going to be Diana's first solo single, until Shelly Berger convinced Berry otherwise. J.Randy wrote that REACH OUT was going to be the final Diana Ross & the Supremes single in one of his books. But I don't believe that was a real plan. I think he was just trying to illustrate how Berry wanted Diana to leave the group with a hit single. And if SOMEDAY flopped, REACH OUT would have been the next Supremes release.However, REACH OUT was cut on January 20/21, 1970, a week after Diana's last show with the girls. So it couldn't have been the final release

To my knowledge, "Reach Out and Touch" was NEVER supposed to be a Supremes single. Berry didn't even want it for Ross's debut single. The story goes that he felt a waltz wouldn't sell well, but Diana felt so strongly about it he acquiesced. I also assert that Randy Tarraborelli never wrote that "Reach Out and Touch" was to be the last Diana Ross and the Supremes single. If I am wrong, tell me the book and page number so I can read it and I will gladly issue a public apology. "Someday We'll Be Together" was supposed to be Diana's first single but again, the story goes that Shelly Berger did convince Berry to release it on the Supremes. Who makes up this stuff that you're posting as fact?

[jillfoster]

I think Brenda and the Tabulations' version is the definitive version of this song.

[reese]

To my knowledge, "Reach Out and Touch" was NEVER supposed to be a Supremes single. Berry didn't even want it for Ross's debut single. The story goes that he felt a waltz wouldn't sell well, but Diana felt so strongly about it he acquiesced. I also assert that Randy Tarraborelli never wrote that "Reach Out and Touch" was to be the last Diana Ross and the Supremes single. If I am wrong, tell me the book and page number so I can read it and I will gladly issue a public apology. "Someday We'll Be Together" was supposed to be Diana's first single but again, the story goes that Shelly Berger did convince Berry to release it on the Supremes. Who makes up this stuff that you're posting as fact?

To be clear, I never said any of this was fact. I simply wrote what I read, and explained why I thought it didn't make sense re REACH OUT. And an apology isn't necessary. All of us have posted incorrect info at some point.

DIANA, J, Randy Tarraborrelli, 1985
Pg. 117
" During this time, Diana went in to the studio to record a song written by Johnny Bristol, "Someday We'll Be Togehter," which was planned for release to kick off Diana's solo career. In what seemed like a moment of desperation, the song was released as a Supremes single...The song was released on October 14, 1969, and flew straight to the the number-one position on the national charts. If it hadn't, there's little doubt that "Reach Out And Touch [[Somebody's Hand)" would have become the last Supremes' record."

[Jimi LaLumia]

I no longer have that Diana book, but i now recall reading that when the book came out

[captainjames]

To be honest with you I think the background vocals for Reach Out and Touch are Ashford and Simpson with Yolanda and Ray. I do not hear Mary or Cindy in that record.

[Jimi LaLumia]

neither are they on "Someday.."..we all know now that by this point, Supremes was just a name that they put on records with Ross' lead vocal, since the days of "Love Child" which also didn't have Mary or Cindy on it..and back then, we fell for it..

[marv2]

To be honest with you I think the background vocals for Reach Out and Touch are Ashford and Simpson with Yolanda and Ray. I do not hear Mary or Cindy in that record.


On the "bop ba ba ba, bop ba ba baaa, ooohhh , oohh oh , bop, etc,etc" sounds like Mary Wilson to me. May not be her but it sounds like her. Same thing on the Four Tops "Still Waters" which also came out in 1970.

[jeff9nyc]

To be clear, I never said any of this was fact. I simply wrote what I read, and explained why I thought it didn't make sense re REACH OUT. And an apology isn't necessary. All of us have posted incorrect info at some point.

DIANA, J, Randy Tarraborrelli, 1985
Pg. 117
" During this time, Diana went in to the studio to record a song written by Johnny Bristol, "Someday We'll Be Togehter," which was planned for release to kick off Diana's solo career. In what seemed like a moment of desperation, the song was released as a Supremes single...The song was released on October 14, 1969, and flew straight to the the number-one position on the national charts. If it hadn't, there's little doubt that "Reach Out And Touch [[Somebody's Hand)" would have become the last Supremes' record."

I apologise for doubting your memory. But it sounds to me like Tarraborelli just said that because it was the next release with Diana. If her next release had been "These things Will Keep Me Loving You" THAT would have been the next Supremes release or "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" or whatever, until they got a hit and could get her out of the group on a high note [[pun intended). Guess she would have been stranded in the group a bit longer. But again I stand corrected. He DID write that. Dumb thing to write if you ask me because we have no idea what Gordy would have done really. So, there is a LOT of doubt as to "Reach Out And Touch" being the last Supremes single.

[captainjames]

Sounds more like a man singing that to me.


On the "bop ba ba ba, bop ba ba baaa, ooohhh , oohh oh , bop, etc,etc" sounds like Mary Wilson to me. May not be her but it sounds like her. Same thing on the Four Tops "Still Waters" which also came out in 1970.

[captainjames]

Honestly, I think Berry would have pulled her with or without "Someday" being a hit. The timing was dead on, it was the the end of the year and everyone was tired.


I apologise for doubting your memory. But it sounds to me like Tarraborelli just said that because it was the next release with Diana. If her next release had been "These things Will Keep Me Loving You" THAT would have been the next Supremes release or "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" or whatever, until they got a hit and could get her out of the group on a high note [[pun intended). Guess she would have been stranded in the group a bit longer. But again I stand corrected. He DID write that. Dumb thing to write if you ask me because we have no idea what Gordy would have done really. So, there is a LOT of doubt as to "Reach Out And Touch" being the last Supremes single.

[captainjames]

In fact I always thought the "Cream Of The Crop" was a throw away album anyway with just "Someday" appearing out of place.